Thousands of troops have taken part in drills spanning NATO's eastern flank, including sites in Estonia, Germany, Poland and Romania. DW reports from a training area in Finland's far north, close to the border with Russia.
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00:00French Caesar howitzers, Swedish archers, American multiple-launch rocket systems, firing
00:09in a coordinated effort to prevent enemy forces from reaching Allied troops.
00:15This is the scenario of the Dynamic Front 25 exercise here in Finnish Arctic territory.
00:21When we come together as a NATO force, we need to make sure that we're able to work
00:25together.
00:26And that means reacting to calls for fires quickly, accurately, and ensuring that they're
00:32lethal and achieve the aim.
00:35This exercise is the first large-scale manoeuvre in Finland since the country joined NATO last
00:41year, dropping decades of military non-alignment to seek the Alliance's protection following
00:48Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
00:51Finnish forces are considered highly capable and well-trained.
00:55Unlike many other European countries, Finland still has conscription for men.
01:00During this exercise, that's taking place only 130 kilometres or so from the Russian
01:05border, Finnish conscripts are supporting NATO troops with logistics.
01:10The main defender is still us, defending ourselves.
01:15NATO is a big help in that, yes, and gives us reassurance that we won't be alone next
01:19time if something does happen.
01:21I believe that we get some help from them, but mostly it's from us.
01:29But it's good to have people in the back, so we are stronger together.
01:35An exercise like this one is intended to send a message to Russia that the Alliance is united
01:40and capable of defending its members.
01:43But how united are the Allies?
01:46And with Donald Trump in the White House, a NATO sceptic who threatened to weaken the
01:50Alliance, what will the US role in all of this be?
01:54And what does the future of the organisation look like?
01:57But according to some here, this isn't a new discussion.
02:01I joined the Army 20 years ago and it was already a thing.
02:0520 years later, we are still involved in NATO operations, we are still training with our
02:10partners.
02:11I'm not worried about that.
02:12Yes, we are very solid and very valid structure.
02:16Calm and self-confident, that's how the artillerymen and mountaineers want to appear in Finland.
02:22The commanders here point out that the war in Ukraine has shown once again the importance
02:27of field artillery.
02:29It's artillery, they tell us, that wins wars.